histrings Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Hi all, first time post. I am the original owner of a 1968 Southern Jumbo that has a 40mm nut width. This seems to be very narrow for an acoustic guitar. Does anyone have any thoughts/ideas why Gibson would do this? I tried reaching out to Gibson but no response. At 5th fret it's 43mm, 8th fret 44mm & 12th fret 50mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 I don't have the exact details, and hope those with them will chime in, but at a high level I've come to feel Gibson likes their thin necks, and 1968 seems to be a time when they liked them to the extremes. Love to see a pic of your guitar though if you get a hankerin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 From at least sometime in 1965 to sometime around 1970 (or maybe later) most Gibson necks--acoustic and electric--had a nut width of around 1 9/16", or 39.7mm. I'm not sure exactly what the thinking was, but I suspect other brands of electrics in that same period had narrow necks as well, so it may have been meant to replicate the feel of an electric guitar, In that same period, Gibson went to low wide frets that were straight out of the electric neck playbook. These narrow-nut necks can feel cramped for first-position playing for many people, but the differences are less compared to wider-nut guitars the further up the neck you play. I still have one guitar with the narrow nut, and despite the fact that I love it dearly, I generally play one of my similar guitars with a slightly wider nut. There has been a lot of discussion in this forum over the years on this topic. Mandolin players think we're a bit crazy on this topic, given the neck width of the typical mandolin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 I want to say the nut width went back to 1 11/16" in 1969. Also a '68 will have wider/heavier bracing than one built just the year before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
histrings Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 (edited) Thanks for you responses. Here's few pics. Originally had a rosewood adjustable saddle Edited June 9, 2020 by histrings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 My 1968/69 heavy braced Southern Jumbo has the attractive 11/16 - you can almost see it here. Looking closer it's also possible to spot the double-ring tulips and the c u s t o m on the tr-shield. Don't know if these features were added later, but it sure is original stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 I have a 67 SJ ,rounded Guard , belly up bridge with the skinny neck. The action is just right. It feels a little cramped to play. But the dark tone keeps me going back to it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75 Hummingbird Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 That`s a real beaut Minor 7 , what`s she weight in at ? She looks to have 67 appointments . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 (edited) 51 minutes ago, 75 Hummingbird said: That`s a real beaut Minor 7 , what`s she weight in at ? She looks to have 67 appointments . Thanx - a real piece of candy, isn't it. But no 67er for sure. A long-scale bulky mother all the way - and it has been tempting to get it re-braced. Sccchhyyy, no no no. . Edited June 9, 2020 by E-minor7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75 Hummingbird Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 histrings ....your center back brace appears thinner and more refined the Minor 7th`s axe .... That is a pair of beautiful late 60`s Gibson guitars . Gibson had a thing in the mid to mid 60`s with thin necks and narrow nuts ....for sure not for everyone . I had a 65 l.g. 1 with that affliction...gone gone gone ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
histrings Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 Here's a better picture of the back bracing. It never had an orange label, just SJ stamped in blue. There is a "2" stamped over the serial number so I assume this is a factory second? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 2 hours ago, histrings said: Here's a better picture of the back bracing. It never had an orange label, just SJ stamped in blue. There is a "2" stamped over the serial number so I assume this is a factory second? Yes, probably a second. those were almost always cosmetic "flaws" which after 50 years are pretty meaningless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75 Hummingbird Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 Hey ,does the serial number definitely point to a 68 ? I say ,judging by the more refined brace width it could be earlier . What is the serial if you don`t mind sharing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
histrings Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 Don't mind at all. Serial# 952590 (with a "2" stamped over it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
histrings Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 On 6/11/2020 at 7:28 PM, 75 Hummingbird said: Hey ,does the serial number definitely point to a 68 ? I say ,judging by the more refined brace width it could be earlier . What is the serial if you don`t mind sharing ? Yup, it's definitely a 68. The pick guard is screwed on and I understand that was the only year Gibson did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75 Hummingbird Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Gibson used screws in 67 to attach pick guard as well i do believe . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 (edited) On 6/9/2020 at 10:16 AM, histrings said: Hi all, first time post. I am the original owner of a 1968 Southern Jumbo that has a 40mm nut width. This seems to be very narrow for an acoustic guitar. Does anyone have any thoughts/ideas why Gibson would do this? I tried reaching out to Gibson but no response. At 5th fret it's 43mm, 8th fret 44mm & 12th fret 50mm. belly up bridge. White Button Kluson tuners to me, it would be a 67. Not unless its a late 67 going into 68 I have a 67 . But mine has the rounded edge guard. Serial number starts with a zero Edited September 17, 2020 by slimt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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